Game 7: Junior Blue Dukes GREY 14, Slinger 6

In a game that easily could have been played back in the '50s or early '60s, two teams slugged it out Saturday in a mudbowl at Slinger. Thanks to strong defense and special teams play, the Junior Blue Dukes Grey team prevailed over the host Slinger Owls, 14-6.
The only things this game lacked in the throwback department were the voice of John Facenda in the background and a few knocked-out teeth on the field.
Whitefish Bay received the opening kickoff but were forced to punt, derailed in part by a costly blocking penalty. On Slinger's first play from scrimmage, an Owls receiver got behind the Bay secondary, caught a perfectly thrown pass in stride and ran down the field for a score. 6-0, Slinger.
But Bay put itself right back in the game on the ensuing kickoff. Nick Higgins grabbed the ball about the 30-yard line, slipped briefly on the slick, muddy field, then charged up the middle, eluding all pursuit on his way to a 70-yard return for a TD. On the conversion attempt, holder Ryan Hummer put the ball down cleanly and Higgins kicked it through the uprights for 2 points. 8-6, Bay.
Bay stopped Slinger on their next possession, and went to work on offense. Fullback Teddy Weber gained a key first down up the middle. The Bay gained 15 yards and another first down on a pass interference penalty: a Slinger defender did everything short of putting a saddle on receiver Zach Casey as he rode Zach's back down the field. Van Bassindale ran left and then up the middle to bring Bay close, then Weber plunged through the middle for the TD. Bay 14, Slinger 6.
The sodden condition of the field asserted itself in quarterbacks falling down, ball handlers fumbling, and a variety of slip-sliding activities.
Near the end of the first half, Slinger reached the Bay 40, but the JBD defense turned the ball over on downs.
After Weber's touchdown, the game came down to a field position battle. Higgins' strong punts forced Slinger to start deep in its end. Brijhan Hackney, Mason Trussoni, Scott Rojahn, Bassindale, Weber and Higgins all made tackles for loss or stopped ball carriers after minimal gains.
In the 4th quarter, Slinger tried to drive for a possible tying score running up the middle behind the strength of its offensive line, but Bay contested every yard. The Slinger QB dropped back to pass and fired one down the middle, which defensive back Matt Bernstein picked off and returned more than 20 yards. Bassindale plowed up the middle for a first down that iced the game for Whitefish Bay.

Game 5: Junior Blue Dukes GREY 44, Nicolet 12

Junior Blue Dukes Grey players caught a lot of footballs Saturday: some thrown by our quarterbacks, and some thrown by the Nicolet QBs. The Grey team dominated play in a 44-12 victory at Good Hope School field.
WFB received the opening kickoff. On a third-down play from around the Bay 40, QB Ryan Hummer ran around right end for a long gain. Then Hummer passed to slot receiver Nick Higgins on the left, who sped down the field for another substantial gain. Van Bassindale ran right for the TD, and Higgins kicked the two-point conversion. 8-0, Bay.
On fourth-down deep in its own territory, Nicolet ran from punt formation, but Bassindale and Higgins stuffed the ball carrier. Then Hummer threw a beautiful fade pass to Zach Casey in the right corner of the end zone for a TD. 14-0, Bay.
Near the end of the first quarter, Matt Bernstein returned a Nicolet punt for an apparent TD, but the score was nullified by a penalty. Still, Bay scored again in the first half. On fourth down and goal, Hummer threw a short pass to Higgins on the right. Nick ran untouched into the end zone, and kicked his second two-point conversion of the day. 22-0, Bay.
For the second consecutive game, an opponent has tried to beat Bay by throwing the ball, but Bay defenders have been paying attention. Jesse Sanford started the thievery by picking off a long Nicolet pass. Then, on offense, Coach Jon Bassindale rolled out a sweet gadget play. QB Jack Friesch threw backward to running back Bassindale, who pulled up and fired a long pass down the middle to the wide open Casey. Only an inadvertent stumble prevented Zach from scoring a TD.
Later in the quarter, Nicolet's QB threw to the right side. But cornerback Scott Rojahn was blanketing the receiver, went up in the air with him, and wrestled the ball away for an interception.
On Nicolet's last desperate throw of the half, defensive end Tony Schulz pressured the scrambling Nicolet QB, who heaved the ball over Tony's long arms, and into the grasp of the alert Casey. The half ended with Bay up 22-0.
Bay opened the second-half scoring with Van Bassindale, in wildcat formation, passing to Casey in the right corner of the endzone for a touchdown. Higgins kicked the two-point converstion. 30-0, Bay.
But Nicolet mounted a small rally, scoring a TD after getting outside Bay containment, and then breaking off a kickoff return for a score. (Under the rules of this league, teams trailing by more than 17 points can receive a kickoff after they score.)
Bay asserted itself with a strong defensive play. Nicolet passed short deep in its own end, but Rojahn read the play, interecepted the ball and dragged a Nicolet player on his back to about the 5-yard line. Teddy Weber ran up the middle untouched for a touchdown.
Van Bassindale then finished up the scoring with a long run, knocking the final Nicolet defender onto the ground as he ran into the end zone. Higgins kicked his fourth two-point conversion of the game to make the score 44-12.

Game 4: Junior Blue Dukes GREY 21, Germantown Blue 0

The Junior Blue Dukes controlled all phases of the contest in a 21-0 victory Saturday at Germantown.

Bay received the opening kickoff and consumed most of the first quarter on a steady march downfield, mixing runs by Teddy Weber and Van Bassindale, including a 4th down conversion by Bassindale, who went on to score the game's first TD on a run to the right. WFB 6-0.

After the kickoff, Bay stuffed Germantown deep in their own end, with linebacker Nick Higgins tossing a block aside before dropping a Germantown running back for a big loss on third down. On 4th down, the Germantown punter mishandled a high snap. When he picked it up and tried to kick, Higgins blocked the punt, and Bay took over on downs inside the Germantown 15. Unfortunately, Bay's drive stalled after an incomplete pass, and Germantown resumed possession deep in their own end. 

Realizing they could not run wide on the speedy Bay defense, Germantown began to throw more. On one dropback, defensive end Mason Trussoni knocked the ball out of the QB's hands, and defensive end Jonathan Downs recovered the fumble for the Junior Blue Dukes. On 4th down, Bassindale plowed up the middle for the touchdown. Teddy Weber ran for the extra point. WFB 13-0.

After the kickoff, Germantown gained some yardage on a run left, a few passes and an offside penalty against Bay. But safety Matt Bernstein leaped high in the air to intercept a pass and end the potential threat. The half ended with Whitefish Bay leading 13-0.

Germantown received the second-half kickoff. The Hawks completed a longish pass to cross into Bay territory. But Bay turned up its defensive pressure. Cornerback Scott Rojahn nearly intercepted the Germantown quarterback's pitch to a running back, and Bassindale nearly made a leaping one-handed interception in the middle of the field. Bay took over on downs.

From the wildcat formation, Bassindale threw a long pass to wide receiver Zach Casey, which he was not able to reel in. The Bay coaches, showing faith in both their players and their play call, went right back to the same play, with Casey making the catch for a long gain. Still in the wild cat, Bassindale ran a QB draw up in the middle for first-down yardage. On 2nd and goal, Bassindale ran through a would-be tackler into the end zone for a TD. Higgins kicked the 2-point conversion to make the score WFB 21, Germantown 0.

Neither side would taste the sweetness of the end zone after that, but the fourth quarter nonetheless had its charms. Jesse Sanford made a crisp tackle to stop a short reception right where it was caught. On 4th down in alleged punt formation, the Germantown protector (or up back) threw a pass, but cornerback Ryan Hummer read the play from the beginning and intercepted the ball. With determined effort Friesch eluded a tackler to gain a first down on a QB sneak. 

On Germantown's final possession, Casey intercepted a pass and took it down the right sideline to the end zone, but a holding penalty on the run back pulled the ball back. Still, it was a satisfying ending to game that Whitefish Bay dominated completely.